The expectations of medical instruments, in particular of medical instruments for microinvasive interventions, increase continuously. A variety of medical instruments comprising a tool with gripping or cutting function at the distal end are already offered and are widespread. Further functions and degrees of freedom are increasingly added, for example a rotation of the tool about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, a bending capacity of the shaft proximally of the tool, or a second, independently controllable active device on the tool. In order to control these further functions or degrees of freedom, a second transfer element may be provided in the shaft of the medical instrument, for example a second transfer rod.
In the case of reusable medical instruments, it is necessary for cleaning purposes to be able to disassemble said instruments to the greatest possible extent. In the case of many medical instruments, the handling device in particular is separable from the proximal end of the shaft. Here, a snap-in connection between the proximal end of the shaft or the outer shaft on the one hand and the handling device on the other hand can be unlocked by applying manual pressure to an unlocking button or by actuating another actuation device. In the case of medical instruments produced by the applicant and distributed under the name “Clickline”, as the shaft is removed distally from the handling device the proximal end of the transfer rod and a lever coupled thereto of the holding device reach positions in which they are no longer coupled to one another. The coupling between the proximal end of the transfer rod and the handling device or a lever on the handling device is therefore releasable when the coupling between the proximal end of the shaft and the handling device is released.
The releasability or separability known from “Clickline” products of the proximal ends of the outer shaft and of the transfer rod on the one hand from the handling device on the other hand cannot however be transferred to many other medical instruments, or cannot be transferred easily, in particular if more than one independently movable transfer device is arranged in the outer shaft. An alternative lies in providing a separate actuation device for each coupling. In the case of a medical instrument having an outer shaft and two transfer rods or other transfer devices, three actuation devices are therefore to be provided, wherein a respective coupling between the proximal end of the outer shaft or a transfer rod on the one hand and the handling device on the other hand can be released by means of manual actuation of said actuation devices.